Article of merchandise including rolled sheet material



27 fl g.4.

1958 R. M. ROTHAUSER 0 ARTICLE OF MERCHANDISE momma ROLLED SHEET MATERIAL Filed Dec. 6, 1957 24 A? El g. .5. /9

INVENTOR.

26 Roe/Her M /?0 max/55R ARTICLE F MERCHANDISE INCLUDING ROLLED SHEET MATERIAL Robert M. Rothauser, New York, N. Y.

Application December 6, 1957, Serial No. 701,020

7 Claims. (Q1. 206-47) This invention relates to an article of merchandise, comprising a tubular container having a removable cover part, the container being adapted to frictionally and firmly support a roll of sheet material detachable with respect to the container in the use or consumption thereof.

More particularly, the invention deals with an article of merchandise of the character described, wherein the sheet material is so rolled on a predetermined number of strand or ribbon spools or a tube containing said spools in such manner as to expose edge portions of sheets having different characteristics circumferentially on the resulting rolled bundle of sheets for exposure or display in the sale of the merchandise and, particularly, wherein the roll of sheet material is contained within a transparent wrapping of cellophane or the like, the latter serving to maintain the rolled sheets in the roll or package state.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with an article of merchandise of the character described, wherein the cover part can .be used as a means for supporting the major portion of the rolled sheet material and at least one of the strand spools in display fashion in the sale of the merchandise in question.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken side and sectional view of an article of merchandise made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic end view of part of the roll of sheet material, diagrammatically illustrating the spacing of edge portions of varied sheets or sheetings in the roll.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating the manner of displaying the rolled material and one spool supported in the detachable cover of the merchandise; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view to illustrate the spacing of the inner edge portions of the sheet material in the rolling operation, resulting in the spacing of the edge portions of the different sheet or sheetings, as diagrammatically seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing and also illustrated in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown, to illustrate one adaptation and use of my invention, the complete article of merchandise in its sealed or shippable state, the illustration being a broken view eliminating the major portion of the length of the article, but illustrating both end portions thereof. In this figure, represents the main tubular casing of the article, this casing having a metal or other bottom closure plate 11 crimped or otherwise secured to the lower edge of the casing 10, as indicated at 12. The wall of the closure plate 11 is recessed within the lower end of the casing, as is indicated in section.

Mounted within the casing 10 is a liner casing 13 which extends the full length of the casing 10 and includes an upwardly extended closure cap supporting portion 14, upon which a closure cap 15 is mounted, the cap being Patented Dec. 30,v 1958 in the form of a tube of the same diameter as the casing 10 and seating on the upper edge of the casing 10, as indicated at 16.

At this time, it will be pointed out that upon completing the article of merchandise, a transparent adhesive sealing strip 17 is secured to adjacent edge portions of 10 and 15 to retain the cap in position upon the casing and, in opening the article of merchandise, a knife or other sharp instrument is traced along the abutting line 16, severing the sealing strip and, as a result, a part of this sealing strip would be retained on the cap 15, as indicated at 17 in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the other portion of the strip remaining on the casing 10, as will be apparent.

The cap or closure 15 has a top plate 18, similar in all respects to the plate 11.

At 19 I have diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, partially in section, a roll of sheet merchandise, which, in some instances, can be directly rolled upon a plurality of strand spools, two of which are diagrammatically illustrated at 20 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. These spools, in some instances, comprise ribbon spools suitable for use in conjunction with sheet material of the roll 19. However, where the sheet material is of a thin or highly flexible character, such, for example, as tissues, foils and the like, I prefer to frictionally arrange the spools 12 in an inner tube 21, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The inner tube is employed to provide a firmer support for the roll 19 throughout the full width of the sheet material employed or what would be described as the length of the roll 19.

The roll 19, including the core tube 21, is preferably less in length than the distance between the end plates 11 and 18, so that no pressure is exertedupon these plates and, thus, assuring a positive abutment of the cap 15 with the casing 10, as at 16.

In utilizing the tube 12, or when the spools 20 only are employed, it is preferred to so arrange the same that at least one end of the roll 19, or the tube 21 within the roll, will include a chamber 22, as shown at the top of Fig. l of the drawing. This chamber forms a compartment for placement of other accessory items that might be used in the entire merchandise package. For example, it may contain glued pasters, stencils or the like suitable for use in conjunction with the sheet material constituting the roll 19.

Upon completing the roll package 19, a wrap 23 of thin transparent sheet material, such as cellophane, is used to hold the rolled sheet material in position and edges of this wrap can be folded into the tubular ends of the roll 19, as diagrammatically illustrated at 24. In the present illustration, the thickness of the wrap 23 is exaggerated.

As previously stated, the roll 19 can comprise a numher of diiferently characterized independent sheets or, in some instances, such, for example, as in merchandising thin tissue sheets, bundles of these sheets of a predetermined or standard Width are folded centrally and, in Fig. 4 of the drawing, for illustrative purposes, I have diagrammatically shown eight of such bundles at 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, each bundle containing sheets of the same color and of any desired or predetermined number. For example, each bundle could comprise six sheets of thin tissue. However, the colors of the tissues in the separate bundles will vary and will be so arranged as to provide a desirable blending of colors in the resulting roll 19. e

The diagrammatic illustration of Fig. 4 is simply to illustrate the result of rolling these bundles either directly of the drawing and, from the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 3, it will be apparent that the coloring of the bundle of sheets 32 will appear at both sides of the arrangement of edge portions 25 to 32, inclusive, as indicated at 32 at the left of Fig. 2 of the drawing and also at the left of Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Whether the sheet material is in the form of thin bundles of tissue as above described, the rolling of the sheet material constituting the resulting roll 19 can be pre-arranged to spaceor expose edge portions of all of the sheets circumferentially about the roll 19 and not to a limited area thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. It will be understood that, in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, no attempt is made to show the separate sheets of each bundle.

In actual practice with tissue sheets ofthe kind under consideration, any desired number of bundles of different colors can be employed. In actual practice, as many as fifteen difierent colors have been used.

At this time, it is well to point out that, in referring to difference in colors, there may also be difference in color and/or design characteristics on the sheets and this would be true of any type and kind of sheet material that would be merchandised in this manner, the only limitation being that the sheet is of a material or character facilitating rolling of the sheets one upon the other in the manner described.

Considering Fig. 3 'ofthe drawing, it will be apparent that, in the sale of an article of merchandise of the kind under consideration, after the merchandise has been opened, as previously stated, the roll 19 contained in its transparent cellophane wrap 23 can be mounted in the cap when in inverted position, as diagrammatically shown in said figure, resulting in a very attractive display of the merchandise. In .this display, the edge portions 25 to 32, inclusive, of the sheet material will be exposed and clearly visible through the wrap 23 and, to add to the display, one of the spools can be arranged at the upper end of the roll 19, as diagrammatically illustrated.

An article of merchandise of. the kind under consideration provides a very simple, economical and practical source of supply for varied types and kinds of sheet material for use in constructing decorative material, wrapping of packages and numerous other uses and, at the same time, a definite and positive means of storage of the unused sheet material is provided to, at all times, maintain this sheet material in proper state and protected against the elements.

It will be understood, in this connection, that the closure cap 15 has a frictional engagement with the extension 14 to prevent accidental displacement in the handling of the closed package. While different materials can be utilized in the formation of the casing and cap parts, I have found that, from a standpoint of economy, paper board tubes are suitable for this purpose having the reinforcing end closure plates 11 and 18 thereon.

In the showingof the roll in Fig. 1 of the drawing, no attempt has been made to illustrate the spaced ends to 32, inclusive. Fig. 3 has been used in part to illustrate this particular phase of the roll.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of different characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of 4- outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the differently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, and means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing.

2. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of diiterent characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the differently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, said last named means comprising an adhesive strip overlying the cap and casing, and said strip being adapted to be severed at the abutting line of the casing and cap in removal of the cap for withdrawal of the roll from the casing.

3. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet ma terial arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of different characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the differently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, said last named means comprising an adhesive strip overlying the cap and casing, said strip being adapted to be severed at the abutting line of the casing and cap in removal of the cap for withdrawal of the roll from the casing, and said cap being utilized as a support for displaying the roll in perpendicular position when removed from the casing.

4. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of different characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the difierently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, and said supplemental casing extending to the lower portion of the main casing.

5. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end 5 walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of diiferent characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the difierently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, and the arrangement of the spools in the core of said roll being such as to leave a chamber, at one end of the roll, for reception of accessory articles.

6. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of difierent characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the difierently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, and said spools being arranged in an inner core lining tube extending the full length of the roll.

7. An article of merchandise of the character described, comprising a tubular main casing, an upwardly extending supplemental tubular casing part arranged in the main casing, a tubular closure cap frictionally engaging said supplemental casing and having an edge abutting the edge of the main casing when the cap is in closed position, said cap and main casing having closure end walls of reinforcing material fixed thereto, a roll of sheet material arranged around a plurality of spools arranged in the core of said roll, a transparent wrap supporting the sheets of said roll in rolled condition, sheet material of different characteristics constituting said roll, the arrangement of outer edge portions of the sheet material of the roll being such as to space the difierently characterized sheet edges one from the other for exposure circumferentially of the periphery of said roll, means for sealing the cap against displacement from the main casing, the roll of sheet material comprising a plurality of folded bundles of thin sheet material, and each bundle having a different characteristic.

I No references cited. 

